The Eyrie

TEXAS TOWNSHIP, MI — Two Mattawan High School students were killed and three others were critically injured when the vehicle they were riding in left the road and struck a tree early Sunday morning, according to the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said the crash happened just before 3:30 a.m. on West R Avenue near South 2nd Street in Texas Township. All five teenagers in the vehicle were Mattawan High School students, and authorities said families and school officials have been notified.

Deputies say the vehicle crossed off West R Avenue before hitting a tree

Investigators said the teens were traveling west on West R Avenue when the vehicle left the south side of the roadway and crashed into a tree. The sheriff’s office has not said what caused the vehicle to drift off the road.

The circumstances around the crash remain under investigation, including what may have happened in the moments before impact. Deputies are still trying to piece together the sequence of events leading up to the collision.

One teen died at the scene and two others remain in very serious condition

A 16-year-old and a 15-year-old were pronounced dead at the scene, according to deputies. Of the three survivors, one 15-year-old and one 17-year-old were reported in critical but stable condition.

A second 16-year-old was listed in very critical condition. The sheriff’s office did not release the names of the teens, and no further medical details were provided beyond those condition updates.

Mattawan High School families and staff were informed after the crash

Deputies said school officials were notified after the collision, along with the families of the students involved. The sheriff’s office also issued a statement expressing condolences to the families and friends of the teens who died.

Authorities extended support to the injured students, their loved ones, and the broader Mattawan High School community, including teachers and staff facing the aftermath of the crash. The incident has left the school district and surrounding community confronting a devastating loss.

Sheriff’s office asks for tips about what happened before the collision

The Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone who saw or knows about the teens’ activities before the crash to come forward. Investigators said information about the moments leading up to the collision could help explain why the vehicle left the roadway.

People with information can contact the sheriff’s office at 269-383-8784. Anonymous tips can also be shared through Silent Observer at 269-343-2100.

Crash adds to a difficult morning for the Texas Township community

The collision happened in the early hours of Sunday, when traffic was light and visibility may have been limited by the time of day, though deputies have not said that was a factor. The crash scene near South 2nd Street remains the focus of the investigation.

For Mattawan High School and the families involved, the case is still unfolding as authorities work to determine why the vehicle departed the road. At this stage, the sheriff’s office has identified the crash as a fatal and critically injuring incident involving five students, with the investigation continuing.